Portable lectern



Jan. 211., 1958 R. sQ sNYDER PORTABLE LECTERN Filed July 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVENTOR. R01-LAND S. 'SNYDER ATTRNEY Jan. 21, 1958 R. s. SNYDER 22,820,686

PORTABLE LECTERN Filed July 28, 1955 Y 2 sheets-sheet 2 IAWENTOR. RoL/ AND s. SNYDER .ATTORNEY United States Patent PORTABLE LECTERN Rolland S. Snyder, Yonkers, N. Y.

Application lFully 28, 1955, Serial No. 525,0@

3 Claims. (Cl. S12-282) This invention relates to a portable lectern.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable lectern in the form of a carrying case so that papers ordinarily carried in a separate brief bag may be carried by this lectern and as well articles of quite some s1ze. It is another object of the invention to provide a portable lectern adapted, when opened, to support papers in an elevated manner and to eliminate the need for the speaker to find a speakers lectern upon his entering the room where his lecture or talk is to be given and thereby to save time in nding a lectern for the occasion and the expense involved in the rental of such a lectern.

It is another object of the invention to provide a portable lectern which has a concealed light therein to direct rays of light on the papers supported by the lectern and -with which connection can be readily made by a cable projected from the lectern and carried Within the lectern in-a looped coil that needs only to be detached from the lectern and plugged into any available wall receptacle.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a portable lectern having a lectern shelf that is adjustable to three positions upon the lectern so that the papers can be held either in a high horizontal position, a sloping or inclined position or in a low horizontal position and wherein this shelf serves as the closure element for the lectern.

It is another object of the invention to provide a portable lectern wherein the lectern shelf can be easily adjusted between the several positions and into its closing position without binding or catching with the end Walls of the carrying case.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide in a lectern carrying case With magnetic means for retaining the lectern shelf in its closed position upon the carrying case and finger recesses to permit the insertion of nger to release the shelf from its closed position.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a portable lectern, having the above objects in mind, which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, light in weight, durable, adapted to be supported on telescopic legs which may be carried within the case, of pleasing appearance, may contain a public address system speaker or other devices that can oe used by the lecturer, eiicient and effective in use.

For still further objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in Which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the lectern constructed according to one form of the invention in an open position and resting upon a table and with illustration being made as to the use of the same by the lecturer;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken of the lectern with the cable cord coiled and supported upon the inner side of the carrying case and the lectern shelf in the low horizontal position, the view being taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 3;

'ice

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the lectern, with the lectern shelf extended to the low horizontal position with illustration made to the manner in which the shelf is moved from the closed position upon the carrying case to the low horizontal position, the view being taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the lectern shelf being moved from the low horizontal position to a sloping or inclined position within the carrying case;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing the lectern shelf in a high horizontal position and illustration being made as to the manner in which the shelf is elevated and placed under the supporting bracket so as to hold the shelf in its high horizontal position;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the lectern with the shelf in the closed position and serving as a carrying case;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of a slightly modied form of the invention and employing magnetic means for hold'mg the lectern shelf in its closed position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the carrying case shown in Fig. 7, as shown on line 8--8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a carrying case employing a different manner for securing the shelf to the body of the case and with the shelf in a partially-opened position and the end of the case broken away to show the hinge straps;

Fig. l() is a vertical sectional view of the carrying case shown in Fig. 9 and supported upon telescopic legs;

Fig. ll is a fragmentary sectional view of the lectern shown in Fig. 9 with the lectern shelf pulled out to its full extent and resting in its low horizontal position;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the lectern shelf in the sloping or inclined position;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the lectern shelf supported in a high horizontal posinon.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 to 6, 1S represents a carrying case that has a bottom 16, a back part 17, end members 18 and i9 and a rounded top 20 having a carryn ing handle 2l extending between brackets 22 and 23.

The handle can be Withdrawn out of the brackets to a slight extent to permit the hand to be inserted thereunder and then lowered to lie ilat on the top 20 when the case is not being carried.

ln the front of the case is an opening in which lectern shelf 24 can he adjusted in the manner particularly illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 between a full or low horizontal position, as shown n Fig. 3, an inclined position with the rear of the shelf lying Within the case, as shown in Fig. 2, or in an elevated, horizontal position with the rear edge of the lectern shelf 24 resting under a lip 2S on the back 17 of the case, as shown in Fig. 5.

The shelf 24 has an upturned lip, or ledge, along its outer edge, as shown at 26, so as to support papers upon the shelf when the shelf is in the inclined position, as shown in Fig. 1.

When the shelf 24 is in the closing position within the opening at the front of the case, a latch 27 is pulled down over a hook 23. The side edges of the shelf will abut stops 29 and 30.

The inner edge of the shelf is controlled in its movement by link arms 3l. and 32 pivoted respectively, as indicated at 33 and 34, to the respective opposite end members l and i9 of the carrying case. The free ends of these links are respectively pivoted, as indicated at 35 and 36, to the side edges of the shelf. These links 31 and 32 will hold the bottom edge of the shelf when it is in a closed position against outward displacement from lthe bottom 16. The links 31 and 32 will be swung up over in the manner as shown in Fig. 2 to locate the shelf Within the carrying ease and in the inclined position.

4the. iniii' edge of the shelf 24 to be located under the In order that 'the user of the lectern can have light upon 'his paper 36 from which he may be reading, a fluorescent light device 39 is secured under the curved top 2t), as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and a cable cord 40, which-may becoildover hooks 41 and 42 may be supported.v 'Iphis cable cordhas a vplug 43 which which may be inserted-in any wall receptacle 44 upon removing the same from the hooks 41 and 42. y

nPig-s. 7 and-8 there-is shown a magnetic means for holdingthe shelf 24 inthe closed position in the carrying case, finzplace -ofvthe hooks 2S and latch 27. According to this yform Athere are provided magnetic members 45 havinginwardly bent-end flange 46. This member is in the form of a magnet and will beV engaged by a small magnet 48 I'seem-'ed to lettera shelf 49 by a rivet 5o. When -the shelf is brought to the closing position, the magnet 48 will adhere to the flange 46 of the magnet bar'member Td5.` The bar member is retained on the ends of the carrying case by rivets l.

In-order that the fingers 'of the hand can be extended over the upper-edge of the shelf when in the closed position, the upper edge of the shelf is relieved by an inclined recess 52 that mates with a recess 53 in the top of the carrying case at the upper edge ofthe opening. These recesses will permit the insertion of the fingers, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The magnets are sufficiently strong tohold the shelf in the yclosed position, but can be readily released upon the application of pressure upon the upper edge of the shelf.

` Referring now particularly to Figs. 9 to 13, there is shown fa still further form of the invention. According to lthis form, the link-members are placed ush with the bottom 16 of the carrying case. These link members are indicated at 55 and 5'6.l Each of these link members comprises a hinge part *57 fixed to the bottom near the rear of the case with avstrip part 58 hinged to the'hinge member 57 by a vpin 59 and to a hinge part 50 on the shelf '2'4 by a pin 61. The link part S3 can thus swing free of 'thee'nd members so as not to bind thereupon and they `'are suicien'tly wide so asto prevent lateral shifting of the shelf so las 'to displace the same out of registry with the opening in -the front of the carrying case.

The shelf 24 can he pulled to the low horizontal position as shown in Fig. ll, with the parts of the link device extended. In order to lplace 'the shelf lin an inclined position, :the rear edge -is lifted and moved rearwardly, as illustrated in Fig. '12, so that 'the link part 58 is extended toa vertical=position, land the hinge part 60 on the rear edge V'of the she'lf 24 rests against Vthe back I17' 'of the carryingcase. The forward edge of the shelf will rest upon the table surface.

In ordr to I'place the shelf 24 in la high horizontal position, as shown in Fig. v13, the shelf is lifted and hooks 62 are extendedover projection 63 on the end members of the carrying case. These projections @extend inwardly and the hooks can be readily attached thereto. The-:linksdevices 55 ncan thus be lifted without inter-ference from-thefends'ofthe carryingv case.

A 'speaker device "65 can be located within the carrying case.

If desired, thecarrying case can carry a tripod device 66' that can support the lectern in an elevated position, as illustrated--in-Fig. l0. The ylegs can be extended to the desired height for the speaker.

It should nov/be apparent thatl there hasbeen provided a portable lectern in the form of a carrying case wherein kthe lectern shelf can be readily positioned in any one'of three positions to support papers and wherein a light contained within the carrying case at the top thereof canV be used to throw rays of light upon the paper being supported upon the lecternshelf. It will also be apparent that the carrying case can house other items, such as books, papers, and small articles, and be used in lieu of a carrying bag. Y n

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that 'such changesshall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined bythe appended claims.

What is claimed isz l. A speaker-s lectern comprising a carrying case having a bottom, back Wall, side walls and a top, the front of the carrying case having a vertically-extending opening and a lectern shelfoperable in the opening tolbe llocated in closed, horizontal and inclined positions, means for controlling the movement ofthe lower edge ofthe lectern shelf comprising links hingeably lcon'nected'to the carrying case removed from the bottom edge of `the opening and to the inner edge of the shelf, said links having free ends and being ofV such length as to bring them to a stop at the bottom of the 'case and locateand Y retain 'the inner edge of the shelf at the bottom edge 'of the opening when the shelf is moved into closing position in the front of the carrying case, means for retaining the outer edge -of the shelf at theV top of the carrying 'case when in the closing position, said shelf in one open 'position being hing'eabledownwardly about the free ends of the links to extend horizontally from the lower edge of the opening, and inwardly-extending projections on the opposite side walls adapted, when the links and lt'rwe' edge of the shelf have been hinged upwardly and rearwardly into the case, to support the shelf in'ano'therposition.

2. A speakers lectern -as delined `in claim l, and-a lip disposed at the back Wall of the carrying case at V4an 'elevation slightly above the hinge connection ofthe links with the case `and adaptedto be engagedV by the'inner edge of the shelf so as to support the shelf thereatffand said inwardly-extending projections being at the points Tof the connections of the links with the respective side walls for supporting the shelf intermediate yof the outer and inner edges, whereby such shelf'canibe supported in -a high horizontal position partly within the carrying case.

3. A speaker-s lec'tern as defined in claim l, and's'aid hingeable links comprising hingeparts xed to the bottom of the carrying case ladjacent the back thereof, `links hinged respectively to the hinge parts, other hinge lparts on the inner edge of the lectern shelf, said link members being wide and having wide pin conuectionswiththe hinge members thereby vthe inner edge of the shelf will be retained against lateral displacement.

References Cited :in the file of this patent NITD STATES PATENTS 815,810 Goldsworthy Mar. 20,'1906 942,148 Stark Dec. 7, 1909 1,579,678 Wvade Apr. v6,1926' 1,969,306 Hunter Aug. .7, '1934 2,063,224 Bowles v Dec. 8, 1936 2,l5l,259 Young Mar. 2l, '.1939 2,285,159 `I -Ianson 'June .'2, 1942 2,659,116 Kork lNOV. 1-7, 1953 

